Grant Peisley

Grant introduced the speakers at the first TEDxHolyhead in 2013 and it went so well we’ve asked him to be our MC again. At the time we thought he was the only Welsh speaking Australian but now we understand he is one of a small breed of 2 or 3!

About Grant:

It was New South Wales that Grant called home until he settled in north Wales early this century. And it was in Sydney that Grant learnt about the great Aussie values of Friendship, Equality and giving everyone a ‘Fair Go’. Those values have led Grant to work with communities to help them take over the services that are important to them. He has worked with over 40 communities in Wales to help them run their own community-owned shop or pub, run their own social services, convert a disused building into a community-owned hub or generate and save energy cooperatively.

In his journey from Aussie to Cymro, Grant has helped to start two award winning social enterprises in north west Wales. AGRO (http://www.agro-cymru.org.uk/) allows people who have had problems with drugs and alcohol to help others suffering with addictions by running activities that build social support networks. DEG (www.DEG.cymru) supports community action to increase our area’s ability to cope with the rising cost of fossil fuels and improve our natural environment.

Northwest Wales has been great to Grant, welcoming him into local communities and giving him a new home. Now he’s trying to return the favour by helping to stop the drain of resources out of the area and retaining the benefit of the strong natural heritage of north Wales.